The Longest Car Ride
by Lissical
Summary: They have to drive from DC to Chicago. Will they make it in one piece?
1. Default Chapter

"All right, so you all know that you have to get to Chicago by Thursday, right," Leo asked as the morning staff meeting came to a close.  
  
Everyone in the room groaned. "Do we have to go," Josh whined. "'Cause I really don't want to."  
  
"Too bad, you're going," Leo said. "You're all going. Now go back to work before I have to call the National Guard in here to throw you all out of this office."  
  
"He seems to be in a bit of a mood," CJ muttered to Toby as they all left the office.  
  
He looked at her. "Kind of sounds like me in a way. Maybe I'm starting to rub off on him." He grimaced.  
  
"G-d I hope not." CJ walked back to her office.  
  
Toby continued to walk to his office. He wanted to throw his rubber ball through a window right now. Chicago? Just the four of them? What was he going to do?   
  
"Toby, can I come in," Sam asked from the doorway.  
  
"Yeah, what do you want," he asked gruffly.  
  
"I was just talking to Leo about the trip to Chicago, and..."  
  
He looked up at Sam. "And what?"  
  
"Well, he said that we couldn't fly out there. They need us to make a couple of stops along the way, and that we'd be wasting money if we kept getting on different planes and getting off."  
  
"Sam, what is your point?" He asked, quite tired of hearing Sam rambling on.  
  
Sam took a deep breath. "He said that we have to drive there." He ducked to avoid being the victim of a rubber ball in the head.   
  
"We what?!" He yelled as he threw the ball, causing it to hit the President.  
  
"Toby, is that any way to say good morning," Jed asked, rather annoyed.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir. I was just reacting to what Sam said.  
  
"Yeah." Jed rubbed his sore forehead. "Try not to throw things out of the office in the future. If you must throw something, please do so in a careful manner and make sure not to hit anyone."  
  
Toby looked at Jed, "Uh, okay. Thank you, sir."  
  
"You're welcome. Oh, and I have taken the liberty of calling a small meeting in my office. You and Sam need to be there...Now."  
  
"Yes, sir," the two said as they got up from their seats.  
  
Jed smiled slyly and walked out of the office and back to his own, leaving Sam and Toby to ponder on what the President had planned for them.  
  
TBC... 


	2. 2

"Mr. President," Charlie said from the doorway to the Oval Office.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"They're all here now. Should I send them in," Charlie asked with a bit of a smirk on his face.  
  
"Yes, please do." Jed rose from his desk and walked to his chair in the middle of the room and sat down.  
  
Charlie motioned for CJ, Toby, Sam, and Josh to enter the office. "Hello, sir," CJ said as the four walked in. "You wanted to see us?"  
  
Jed smiled slyly. "Yes, that I did. I need to talk to you all about your trip to Chicago."  
  
"Why do I not have a good feeling about this," Toby muttered to Sam.  
  
"Because you never have a good feeling about anything," he responded.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Are you two finished, or shall I wait until you're done?" Jed asked. "Or would you like to share with the class?"  
  
The two stopped talking and turned bright red. "We're done, sir," Toby said softly.  
  
"Anyway, I thought it would be a good idea if the four of you went together in one car to Chicago." Jed looked at the four.  
  
"Hold the phones," Josh said. "You mean you want us to actually drive in the same car?"  
  
"Wow, Josh, you sure catch on fast," CJ said sarcastically.  
  
He simply gave her a look of disgust.  
  
"Yes, that is exactly what I mean, Joshua," Jed said. "All you have to figure out is whose car to take and who will drive, but that will be easy, since it's such a long drive. You can all take turns driving." He smiled at them. "You may go now."  
  
"Thank you, sir." The four said as they rose and left the office.  
  
Once they were in the outer office, they turned to one another. "So," Josh said, "I think we should take my car up there."  
  
"Yeah, right," CJ said. "Your car couldn't make it to Maryland, let alone the Midwest."  
  
"She's got a point Josh," Sam said matter-of-factly. "Remember when we went to the Hill?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Exactly. We never made it from the White House to the Hill. Your car died halfway there."  
  
"Well, I don't think we should take my car," CJ said.  
  
"And why is that," Toby asked.  
  
"It's too nice for you three stooges to mess up."  
  
"How about we take mine," Sam suggested.  
  
"Nah, we should take mine," Toby said. "It's nicer." He smiled.  
  
CJ rolled her eyes. "You and your pride. I say we take Sam's. He at least has four wheel drive."  
  
"Yeah," Sam said in a sing-song voice.  
  
"I'm with CJ," Josh said. "We take Sam's car." He turned to Toby. "What do you think?"  
  
"Do I get a say?"  
  
"No," CJ said quickly.  
  
"Fine. Sam, you're driving." He paused. "Hold on. Sam, don't you remember when we got lost going from the airport to the police station in Connecticut?"  
  
"Yes, but I've driven from DC to Chicago hundreds of times. So I know how to get there. Besides, I won't be the only one driving."  
  
"He's got a point," Josh said.  
  
"Yippee, let's go get lost," Toby said.  
  
Sam took that moment to hit Toby on the head with the file he was holding. "That's for making fun of me."  
  
"This is going to be one long, long ride," Toby said as the four went to their respective offices.  
  
"Yeah, but it'll be a fun one," Sam said with a smile.  
  
"Kill me now," Toby said as he walked into his office.  
  
TBC... 


	3. 3

"All right, does everyone have everything," Sam asked as CJ and Josh walked into the Communications bullpen with their things.  
  
"Check," CJ said. "Can we just get this part over with, please? I'd like to get this trip over with as soon as possible."  
  
Josh smirked. "You're starting to sound just like Toby."  
  
"I'll take that as a compliment," Toby said as he walked out of his office with his luggage. "Sam, may we go now?"  
  
"I just want to make sure everyone has everything they need. I don't want to have to stop at a store or something on the way there." He said as he checked off Toby and CJ's names on a piece of paper. "Josh, do you have everything you need?"  
  
"Yes, captain, I do. Now can we go? Please?" He whined.  
  
Sam checked Josh's name off the list. "Yes, now we can go."  
  
The four of them took their luggage and started walking out of the Communications area and into the lobby when Jed happened to pass by.  
  
"Well, I see that we're all ready to go."  
  
Toby looked up, his eyes wide open. "We? You mean you're coming with us? Not that that is a bad thing, but I thought you had to stay here and run things..."  
  
"No, Toby, I'm not coming with you." Jed said as a sigh of relief came from the four. "I just wanted to see you off. Have a great time," he said in a sing-song voice.  
  
"Sam?"  
  
"Yes, CJ?"  
  
"Go. Now."  
  
He nodded and the four of them walked to Sam's car. He opened the trunk and they all put their belongings inside the car. Once everything was in, Sam closed the trunk and unlocked the car.  
  
"Shotgun!" Josh yelled as he shoved past Toby.  
  
"Oh please," Toby said. "Are we back in kindergarten?"  
  
Josh looked at Toby. "What? I want to sit in front. It's more comfortable up there." He gave Toby a puppy dog look.  
  
"Jeez, Josh. What grade are you in?" CJ asked with a smirk as she got in to the now unlocked car.  
  
Josh didn't say anything as he started to get in.  
  
"Stop," Sam said. "It's my car, I'll choose who will sit in front."  
  
There was a collective groan from the other three. "Sam, please. Just get in the car and drive. I honestly don't care about sitting in back," CJ said as she got in.  
  
"That may be all fine and dandy with you," Toby said, "but I want to sit in front."  
  
"Play 'rock, paper, scissors.' That's what my sister and I used to do when we were little." Sam suggested.  
  
Toby and Josh gave Sam a look as if he were crazy. "Never mind I'll take the back." Toby said as he got in.  
  
"Yippee! I get the front!" Josh got into the front passenger side of the car.  
  
Sam got in as well, but didn't do anything except put on his seatbelt.  
  
"Um, Sam, you may want to consider putting the key in the ignition and turning it. That's what you normally do when starting a car," Toby said.  
  
"Thanks for the play-by-play, Toby, but that isn't why I'm not doing anything. You all seem to have forgotten to do something very important." He looked in the rearview mirror at CJ and Toby and then looked over at Josh.  
  
"And just what is it that we have forgotten, oh wise one," Josh asked in a sarcastic tone.  
  
"You all seem to have forgotten to put on your seatbelts. It's a safety issue. I am not going anywhere until--" He was stopped by the sound of moaning and whining.  
  
"Sam! Will you just start the stupid car and drive?!" Toby nearly yelled.  
  
"Toby shut up and put your seatbelt on. He does have a point," CJ said as she slipped hers on.  
  
"Thank you, CJ." Sam said as he looked at her through the mirror.  
  
"Oh just shut up and go. We now all have our seatbelts securely fastened, so you are free to turn the key," Josh said.  
  
Sam relented. "Okay, that was all I asked." He took the key, put it in the ignition, and started the car. "Ready to go?" He looked around at everyone.  
  
"Yes, we are ready," CJ said.  
  
"All right then. Let's go." He put the car into drive and pulled out of the parking lot and on to the streets of Washington.  
  
"Sam, you do know where you're going, right?" Toby asked.  
  
"Yes, I know where I'm going. I am following the sun, which sets in the West."  
  
"Sam!" The three shouted.  
  
I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Sheesh. Yes, Toby, I know where I am going. Like I said before. I have done this before."  
  
"Is there any possible chance we can put the radio on or something," CJ asked after twenty minutes.  
  
"Sure." Sam turned the radio on to a Classical music station.  
  
"Sam, does it have to be this? Why can't you put on music that people actually listen to?" Toby asked.  
  
"I listen to this. I listen to it all the time," Sam said, defending himself. "Besides, they're playing the overture to 'Le Nozze De Figaro.'"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The Marriage of Figaro," Sam said, slightly annoyed.  
  
"Never heard of it," Toby said. "So let's turn the station to something that we all can relate to, okay?"  
  
"And what do you suggest? NPR?" Sam said.  
  
"Actually, yes."  
  
"Toby that is the most boring station I have ever listened to," CJ said. "How about alternative rock?"  
  
"No," Josh said, "The Oldies. That music rocks."  
  
"I'm actually finding this to be a tad relaxing," CJ said as she listened to the music.  
  
Sam smiled. "See, what did I tell you?"  
  
They drove on through the night with the Classical music on.  
  
After an hour of complete silence, Sam stopped the car a little too suddenly for the others, thus waking them up. "Uh-oh," he said quietly to himself.  
  
"What? Where? What happened?" Toby asked as he woke up.  
  
"Sam, why aren't we moving," Josh asked.  
  
"Well, we seem to have a bit of a problem..."  
  
"What kind of problem," CJ asked in a rather annoyed tone.  
  
Sam didn't say anything for a moment. "Well--"  
  
"Let me guess," Toby said, interrupting Sam. "We ran out of gas."  
  
"No, the car is overheating." Sam said as he turned off the car and got out and opened the hood.  
  
"We're going to be stuck here forever," CJ moaned.  
  
TBC... 


	4. 4

"Sam how much longer is this going to take," CJ asked as she got out of the car and walked around to the front where Sam was standing.  
  
He looked up at her. "Not too much longer. I know what the problem is, considering the fact that I have had the same thing happen to me when Josh was giving me a ride home once."  
  
She laughed a little. "Good thing I never accept rides home from him. So what's wrong with it?"  
  
He rolled his eyes slightly. "You know the term 'overheated?' Well, that is what is wrong. The engine is simply overheated. Can you do me a favor though?"  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"A favor is something nice that someone does for someone--"  
  
"Sam!"  
  
He sighed. "Don't you have a sense of humor?" He saw the red on her face. "Anyway, there's a thing of fluid in the trunk. Will you get it for me please?"  
  
"Yeah, okay." She walked around to the driver's side, pushed the button to open the trunk, and got what Sam needed out of it. "Here." She handed it to him.  
  
"Thanks. I should be done here in a minute."  
  
She nodded and got back into the car.  
  
"Well?" Toby asked when she got back in. "Is he just standing there looking stupid?"  
  
"Toby! That is such a mean thing to say!" CJ said. "He's fixing it, no thanks to you."  
  
"What, you're blaming me for this?"  
  
She shook her head. "No, I'm blaming you." She pointed to Josh.  
  
"Me? Why me?" Josh asked, sitting upright.  
  
"You insisted on having the radio and air on for such a long time. One shouldn't do that."  
  
He faced the front and crossed his arms, pouting.  
  
A few minutes later, Sam closed the hood and got back into the car. He looked over at CJ and then at Josh. He then looked at Toby. "What did I miss?"  
  
"CJ blaming Josh for what happened." Toby said flatly.  
  
"It wasn't anyone's fault. I was probably just driving for a little too long. I told you we should have stopped for dinner at that diner back there."  
  
"Well, how about we find the next one and go there," Josh asked.  
  
"The next place to eat, sleep, or anything is not for another twenty-five miles." Sam looked over at the others.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me. Are you kidding?" CJ asked.  
  
"Nope."  
  
"And you know this how," Toby asked.  
  
Sam shook his head. "Look at the street sign, Toby."  
  
"Oh...right." He sat back in his seat. "Can we just get going now? We've been sitting here for what seems like an hour and a half."  
  
"It has been an hour and a half," Josh said.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
CJ hit Toby's shoulder. "Don't tell anyone to shut up. You do that enough at the White House."  
  
"Sam. Drive. Now." Toby said, his voice becoming louder.  
  
"Are you guys going to be nice to each other now?" He asked.  
  
"Yes," they said collectively.  
  
"Okay then." He started the car and started driving again.  
  
Forty minutes later, they were still driving.  
  
"Okay, Sam?"  
  
"Yes, Josh?"  
  
"Is it at all possible for you to pull over for a minute?"  
  
"Oh come on," CJ said. "Can't we at least get to a place where we can eat or something?"  
  
Josh looked at CJ and then at Sam. "Well, I'm all for that, if I wasn't about to throw up."  
  
Sam didn't say anything. He simply pulled over to the side of the road. "Out."  
  
Josh got out rather quickly.  
  
"How long is this going to--" CJ started to say.  
  
"Five or ten minutes," Sam said.  
  
"I know I'm going to regret this, but how did you know that?" Toby asked.  
  
"Josh and I were driving from New York to New Hampshire and he got a case of car sickness. Five times."  
  
"I did not need to know that," CJ said, partially covering her mouth.  
  
"You're not going to puke too, are you," Toby asked.  
  
"No, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not."  
  
Josh got back into the car a few minutes later.  
  
"Feeling better," Sam asked.  
  
"Yeah. Can we just go now?"  
  
Sam nodded and started driving again. He glanced back at Toby and CJ, who were asleep, and then looked at Josh who was also asleep. "Finally," he muttered to himself. He drove in silence through the rest of the night.  
  
TBC... 


	5. 5

"Okay, who's next," Sam asked as he pulled into a parking lot and parked the car.  
  
"What are you talking about," CJ asked with a yawn.  
  
He looked at her. "I mean, who is going to take over the wheel. You know, drive for the next few hours or so." He looked over at Toby and Josh who were both slowly waking up.  
  
CJ looked over at the two as well. "I'd say that I'm probably your best bet, if you don't want to get into a car accident that is."  
  
He looked at the two. "You're right. Just help me do one thing."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Help me get Josh out of the front and into the back. I need to help you navigate."  
  
She nodded, "All right, so long as he doesn't throw up on me. He already has done so three times."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. He'll be fine as long as he is asleep."  
  
Toby slowly opened his eyes and saw that the car was parked. "Oh no, we didn't break down again, did we," he asked groggily.  
  
"No, we're switching drivers," Sam said as he opened Josh's door.  
  
"Great, I'll drive," Toby said as he started to get out of the car.  
  
"I don't think so," CJ said as she put a hand on Toby's shoulder to stop him from exiting the car.  
  
"Well, who's going to drive then? Josh is just going to stop every hour to be sick..." He looked over at CJ, who smiled innocently at him. "Oh no, you are not going to drive for the next...how ever long it is that you're thinking you are going to drive for."  
  
"Will the two of you stop it," Sam said. "If you don't, I'll have to leave you here and you'll have to find your own way to Chicago and back to DC."  
  
"Okay," the two said in unison.  
  
"Great. Anyway, CJ please help me with Josh here."  
  
As CJ walked over to the front passenger side and opened the door, Josh opened his eyes and looked up at her. "CJ, don't you think we're moving a little too quickly here..."  
  
She slapped him upside the head. "Wake up, you moron! I'm simply helping you get out of the car."  
  
Sam and Toby, meanwhile, were cracking up. "Have a nice dream there, Josh," Toby said between laughs.  
  
"Shut up. Where am I going, CJ?"  
  
"To the back. Sam is going to help me navigate where I'm going." She said as she helped him out of the car.  
  
"But I don't want to sit in back!" He whined. "I'll get car sick."  
  
"Too late," Sam muttered.  
  
"What was that, Samuel?" Josh asked.  
  
Sam shook his head and helped CJ put him in the back seat. "Buckle up," CJ said when Josh was sitting down.  
  
"Yes, mother," he said in a groggy voice.  
  
Sam and CJ then got into the car. CJ adjusted the seat so she could drive comfortably. "Everyone ready," she asked once she had her seatbelt on.  
  
"CJ?"  
  
"Yes, Joshua?"  
  
"I'm smushed back here. I have no leg room," Josh whined.  
  
CJ looked back at him. "Are you mocking my height, Joshua?"  
  
"I...uh...no?" He barely squeaked out. He didn't feel like getting pounded by CJ.  
  
"That's what I thought," she said as she started the car. She turned to Sam. "Which way am I going?"  
  
"You're going to want to turn right out of the parking lot, and continue going west."  
  
"Okie dokie."  
  
Toby gave her a strange look. "Since when did you start saying that?"  
  
"I don't know. I just sort of did. Why? Do you have a problem with it," she asked firmly.  
  
"Um, no..."  
  
"Will you two stop?!" Sam said to CJ and Toby.  
  
"Yes, father," they said at the same time.  
  
"And you thought I was the main problem starter," Josh said with a grin, earning him a punch in the arm from Toby.  
  
"You be quiet," Toby said. He looked at CJ. "You keep driving." He then looked over at Sam. "You...Just don't get us lost." He looked out the window.  
  
"Great, a backseat driver," CJ muttered.  
  
Sam tried to contain his laughter as he continued to tell CJ which way to go.  
  
TBC... 


	6. 6

~7:00 AM~  
  
"Where are we," Toby asked groggily as he slowly woke up.  
  
"Tennessee," Sam said as he looked back at Toby.  
  
"We're only in Tennessee?!" Josh said, sitting up straight. "Jeez, CJ, how slow are we going?"  
  
She looked in the rear view mirror at Josh. "Shut up, Joshua, or else I'll have to use you as target practice."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For trying to avoid running over a defenseless animal on the road," she said, narrowing her eyes at him.  
  
Toby looked over Sam's shoulder and tried to see what speed they were driving at. "65 miles an hour? CJ, can't you drive any faster? I think a semi just passed us."  
  
She gripped the wheel tighter. "Would you like to drive, Toby?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Too bad. You're being a jerk, so you don't get to. Unless you'd like to join Josh in helping me with my target practice."  
  
Sam looked at the two in the back. Josh was looking out the window, his hand gripping the seat. Toby was trying to fall back asleep, yet kept looking up at CJ, just to make sure she was still driving.  
  
"Nice going," Sam said to her.  
  
"What do you mean?" She glanced over at him.  
  
"You really freaked them out. I've never been able to do that before."  
  
"Yeah well, being a woman does have its perks." She smiled.  
  
"I guess." He looked out the window.  
  
~9:00 AM~  
  
"Where are we now," Toby asked, waking up from an hour-long nap.  
  
"Well, I decided to take a left, so now we're in Tulsa," CJ said, trying to hide her grin.  
  
"WHAT?! CJ, how could you be so...so..."  
  
"Two words, Tobius: Target. Practice."  
  
He grumbled something inaudible.  
  
"What was that? I don't think I heard you correctly."  
  
"Nothing," he said quietly."  
  
"He said, 'women,'" Josh supplied.  
  
"Tattle tale," Toby said to Josh.  
  
Josh looked at Toby. "Me? What about you? You're the one who said that I threw that map out the window."  
  
"Well that's because you did," Toby said flatly.  
  
"You didn't have to tell on me," Josh said, pouting.  
  
"Will the two of you stop it already," Sam interjected. "You're bugging the hell out of me!"  
  
"Oh shut up you boy scout," Josh said.  
  
"Excuse me? What was that, Josh?" Sam asked, looking pointedly at him.  
  
"Face it, Sam, you're a mama's boy," Toby said, looking up at Sam.  
  
Sam turned to face the front again. "At least I'm not calling people names," he mumbled.  
  
"All right, that's it!" CJ yelled. She pulled the car to the side of the road, put it in park, and turned it off. She then turned to Toby. "You. Stop telling on people and calling people names." She then turned to Josh. "You. Quit whining about every single thing that happens!" She turned to Sam. "And you...You just stop taking that bull from them and tell me where I'm going." She looked at the three, who were now paying close attention to what she was saying. "If you can't behave like men, I'm going to have to call the President and have him give you a lecture in acting like adults, and trust me. You do *not* want that lecture!"  
  
Neither of the three said anything. "Sorry," they said after a few moments of not saying anything.  
  
"That's better." She took a deep breath and turned the key to start the car. Nothing happened. She tried again...And again...And again. Nothing happened. "Damn."  
  
"Want me to see what's wrong," Toby asked in a small voice, in fear that CJ would yell at him again.  
  
"No, I'll see what's wrong," she said as she unbuckled her seatbelt.  
  
"But you're a woman," Josh said without thinking.  
  
"Would you like that mother-board shoved up your ass now," she asked in a flat, yet scary sounding voice.  
  
He didn't say anything. He simply shook his head.  
  
"That's what I thought." She got out and opened the hood, fiddled around with something and came back five minutes later. She got in the car and turned the key. It started right away. She gave the three men around her a smug smile and walked out to close the hood and got back in the car. "Okay, we can go now." She put her seatbelt on and started driving again, leaving the men speechless.  
  
TBC... 


	7. 7

"Are we there yet," a tired Toby asked three hours later.  
  
"For the six-hundredth time, Toby, no!" CJ said from the front. She had answered his question several times before.  
  
He sighed and sat back and looked out the window. "Can you at least tell us what state we're in?"  
  
"I think we're in Canada," CJ said, trying to hide a giggle.  
  
"WHAT?!" Josh practically yelled.  
  
Sam laughed. "She's joking. We're in Kentucky. Northern Kentucky, if I'm not mistaken."  
  
"Boy scout," Toby muttered.  
  
Sam narrowed his eyes at Toby. "Will you kindly keep your mouth shut?"  
  
"Why? I'm having so much fun making fun of you."  
  
"Want me to pull over again?" CJ asked the three as she started to turn the wheel and pull the car over again.  
  
"No!" The three men shouted.  
  
"Fine. Then hush up." She drove normally again.  
  
~Two Hours Later~  
  
"Okay, I'm tired," CJ said. "Who wants to drive?"  
  
"Me," Toby said.  
  
"I will, it's my car," Sam said.  
  
"I haven't gotten to drive yet," Josh whined.  
  
CJ pulled over and looked at Sam. "Okay, your turn, again. It's your car, like you said."  
  
"Thank you." He got out and switched places with CJ.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Josh protested.  
  
Sam rolled his eyes. "What now?"  
  
"Why can't I sit in front?"  
  
"Because you whine too much," Sam said.  
  
"I do not!" He pouted and crossed his arms.  
  
Sam gave him a look.  
  
"Can we go before I start to age," Toby asked from the back.  
  
CJ laughed and looked at him.  
  
"What?" He looked at her.  
  
"You want to go before you start to age?"  
  
"Yes. I still have quite a youthful look."  
  
The others burst into laughter as Sam started driving again.  
  
"What?" Toby shrugged. "I do not look like I'm forty-four years old, do I?"  
  
Josh looked out the window so he wouldn't start laughing at him.  
  
"Sam, you do know where you're going right?" Toby asked, ignoring Josh's apparent laughter.  
  
"Toby, don't start again. You know it only makes things worse."  
  
"What do you mean, CJ?"  
  
"Well it is your fault that you two got lost in Connecticut," Josh said.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"You told me to get off the freeway and we kept getting lost in Bridgeport, remember?" Sam asked.  
  
"Whatever. Just drive, Princeton."  
  
~Four Hours Later~  
  
"We're in Illinois!" Sam announced, waking up the three sleeping passengers.  
  
"Huh? No, I don't want to wake up, mommy," Josh said, still half asleep.  
  
Toby nudged him. "Wake up, doofus."  
  
"Hmm?" Josh opened his eyes. "What?"  
  
"We're in Illinois." Toby said.  
  
"Finally. That only took...forever."  
  
"Yeah, all that we need now is a storm to keep us from Chicago," CJ said, causing Sam to groan. "What did I say?"  
  
"You jinxed us!"  
  
"Sam, you are too superstitious." Josh said.  
  
"I'm serious. Something could happen." He gave CJ a look.  
  
"Grow up, Sam. Besides, didn't Lt. what's-her-name give you the weather report?"  
  
"Not in the mood, Toby," Sam said.  
  
CJ sighed. "Sam, look outside. The sky is blue. The sun is out. It is gorgeous."  
  
"For now." Sam said.  
  
"Oh for goodness sakes, Sam! Quit it already! It's a nice day, so stop--" Just as he spoke, gray clouds began to gather and drops of rain started to fall.  
  
Sam looked at CJ, Toby, and Josh.  
  
"It's only a few drops," CJ said just as a large bolt of lightening lit up the sky, followed by a thunderclap. It then started to pour.  
  
"I'd just like to thank you, CJ," Sam said sarcastically.  
  
"Oh shut up," she said as she slid back in her seat, trying to hide her head.  
  
"How much longer," Toby moaned as he hit his head with his hand.  
  
"Don't beat yourself up over it," Josh said.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Sam shook his head and tried to navigate his way through the pouring rain. It was going to be a long, long day.  
  
TBC... 


	8. 8

~Two Hours Later~  
  
As the rain slowly began to let up, Sam let out a sigh of relief. He could actually see the city of Chicago now. "Hey guys," he said as he tapped CJ on the shoulder. He turned around and woke up Toby and Josh. "Hey, wake up. Look."  
  
"Huh? What?" Josh said, drool on his shirt.  
  
"Ugh, gross," CJ said. "Josh, what are you, two years old?"  
  
"What?" He looked at his shirt. "Oh."  
  
"What is it, Sam," Toby asked as he opened his eyes.  
  
Sam smiled. "It's the city. Look, you can see the Sears Tower and the Hancock Building."  
  
"Cool," CJ said with a smile. "I remember when we were here four years ago, when we won the Illinois primary." She smiled at the memory.  
  
Toby nodded, "Yeah, that was a good day. I still can't believe we won."  
  
Josh rolled his eyes. "Can't you be positive about anything, Toby?"  
  
"Yes, I can." He said flatly.  
  
"*Will* you be positive," CJ asked.  
  
"No."  
  
"Party pooper," Sam muttered.  
  
"What was that," Toby asked, leaning forward.  
  
Sam continued to look straight ahead. "Nothing. Hey look, there's the hotel."  
  
"Chicken," Toby said to himself.  
  
"Oh no!" CJ said suddenly.  
  
"What is it," Sam said as he swerved from CJ's sudden outburst.  
  
"It's 6:30pm! We were supposed to be here at 1:30!"  
  
"Oh sh--" Josh began.  
  
"Ah, ah, ah, no swearing in this car," Sam said.  
  
"Oh shut up!" The others yelled.  
  
Sam found a parking space at the hotel they had to be at and parked the car.  
  
"Ow, ow, ow, leg cramp," Toby moaned as he got out of the car. "Maybe we should just sit there for a while."  
  
CJ hit him over the head with her purse. "Shut up, Pokey."  
  
The four walked into the hotel and went to the front desk. Sam told the man behind the counter who they were and the man pointed to what looked like a ballroom of some sort.  
  
"Thank you," Sam said as he gestured for Toby, CJ, and Josh to follow him.  
  
"We are so dead," Josh said as they reached the large room.  
  
"What the hell?!" Leo said as he walked over to the four. "Where on earth have you guys been? We have been waiting for over five hours!"  
  
"Do you really want to know," Toby asked.  
  
"Probably not. Come on, the President is expecting you."  
  
"This'll be fun," Sam muttered.  
  
"Shh!" CJ hit him over the head with her purse.  
  
"Ow! CJ, that thing is dangerous," Sam said as he rubbed his head.  
  
The President stood when he saw Leo and the others behind him. "Well, I am so glad you guys decided to join us."  
  
"I am very sorry sir, but we had a few...what's a good word?" Sam asked.  
  
"Catastrophes," Toby said.  
  
"Incidents," CJ interrupted.  
  
"Why does this conversation sound familiar," Jed asked, looking pointedly at the four.  
  
They shrugged.  
  
"Sir, would you like to have them change and meet us down here in an hour?" Leo asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, good idea. Then we can discuss what it means to be punctual. You know, on time?"  
  
"I'm thinking about changing my middle name to 'on time,'" Sam said, earning a glare from the President. "I'll shut up now."  
  
"Thank you. Go clean up and then come back and we'll have a discussion on what the difference is between punctuality and tardiness."  
  
"I already know the difference," Josh said proudly.  
  
"Shut up!" Toby, Sam, and CJ yelled at him.  
  
"Go. Change. Now." Jed said.  
  
"Yes, sir," they said meekly as they headed towards the elevators. They were not at all excited at what was about to happen next.  
  
TBC... 


	9. 9

"I am so dreading this," CJ said as the four walked out of the elevator and back towards the ballroom where the President and Leo were waiting.  
  
"I'm sure it won't be as bad as you may think, Claudia Jean," Josh said from behind her.  
  
"There you are," Jed said when saw them. "Sit down. Now."  
  
CJ simply gave Josh a look and sat down.  
  
"You wanted to see us, sir?" Sam said.  
  
"Yes, I did. Did I, by any chance, tell you a specific time frame for you to have arrived here?" He looked at the four as if they had all just failed a test.  
  
"Well, you said anywhere between one and four to be exact, sir," Toby said.  
  
Jed narrowed his eyes at him. "And what time is it now?"  
  
Toby looked at his watch. "It's 8:00."  
  
"Uh, no Toby, it's 7:00," Sam said.  
  
"What? Sam, look at my watch. See the numbers? It's 8:00!"  
  
"Well, yes in Washington, DC it's 8:00. We're in Chicago...Central time zone."  
  
Toby rolled his eyes. "Whatever."  
  
"Whenever you two are done chatting, I'll continue," Jed said as he crossed his arms.  
  
Sam and Toby gave him their full attention.  
  
"Now, I don't remember telling you to be here at 6:00, did I?" They shook their heads, no. "Okay. Then why are you here so late?"  
  
"Well, sir, to be quite honest, we took a sort of scenic route..." Sam began.  
  
"Oy vey," Josh said. "Not again."  
  
"Are you trying to tell me that you got lost?"  
  
"Well...it really depends on what you mean by 'lost,'" CJ said.  
  
Leo looked at her. "I don't think he's amused by that."  
  
"I can speak for myself, Leo." He paused. "I am not amused by that."  
  
Leo rolled his eyes. "Sir, can't this wait? We have to go over a few things tonight while the four musketeers are still awake."  
  
Jed looked at him. "Hush."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Now, where was I?" He asked himself out loud.  
  
"You were telling us how happy you were to see that we got here safe and sound," Josh said.  
  
"Funny boy. Just for that, I am giving you this to read." He handed Josh a rather thick book.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"Open it and find out," Jed said, amused.  
  
"'Latin For the Everyday Person.' Oh come on! Sir, this is ridiculous!" Josh whined.  
  
"If you don't hush, I am going to make you read a book on National Parks too."  
  
"You already gave me an extensive lecture on those, sir," he said quietly.  
  
"Yeah, yeah." He sighed and looked at the others. "So what really happened? Where were you?"  
  
All four began to talk at the same time.  
  
"STOP!" Jed yelled. "One at a time. Sam. You first."  
  
"Me?"  
  
"Do you see another Sam in the room?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Well, then I guess that I do mean you."  
  
"Yes, sir." He took a deep breath. "Well, to make a long story short, we took a couple of wrong turns, then the car broke down, then we got caught in the pouring rain, then we couldn't find a parking spot..."  
  
Jed nodded. "How vague."  
  
"What?!" Sam said, shocked.  
  
"Next. CJ."  
  
She sighed. "Well, like Sam said, we started off just fine, but then when we saw we were headed to Tulsa, we turned around. However, before that, the car decided it didn't want to go any further and..."  
  
"Died." Toby said flatly.  
  
"Toby, did you change your name to 'CJ?'" Jed asked with a stern look.  
  
"No...."  
  
"Then let the real CJ finish. Go on, CJ."  
  
"Thank you, sir." She gave Toby a look. "Anyway, the car had a couple of problems, but I fixed them and then--"  
  
"*You* fixed it?" Jed looked amazed.  
  
"Yes, sir, I did." She had a proud look on her face.  
  
"All right. Good. Next." He looked around. "Josh."  
  
"Well, I slept most of the way, so--"  
  
"Toby."  
  
"Hey! I could have contributed something here." Josh argued.  
  
"Josh, will you do me a favor," Jed asked.  
  
"What's that, sir?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Toby looked at Jed, who nodded at him to begin speaking. "As I was going to say, after we got the car fixed..." CJ cleared her voice. "After CJ fixed the car," he said quietly, "we continued on our journey. We ended up driving through a rather heavy rainstorm, much like the one that is going on outside right now."  
  
"Hate to break it to you, but it's snowing," Jed said.  
  
"Chicago," Sam mumbled. "Never can predict the weather."  
  
"Whatever," Toby said. "Anyway, we had to drive slowly so we didn't get into an accident."  
  
"After that, we finally got here," Sam finished.  
  
Jed nodded. "All right. That was...interesting, to say the least. You'll be glad to know that I'm not making you drive back--"  
  
They all breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"Until the day after tomorrow," he finished.  
  
Their sigh turned into a look.  
  
"Um, sir?" CJ said.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why couldn't we have just flown on Air Force One with you and Leo? We would have gotten here a lot sooner."  
  
"I wanted you all to bond."  
  
"Trust me, we have," Josh said. "We're all best friends now." He put his arm on Toby's shoulder.  
  
"Get your arm off me," Toby said without looking at Josh.  
  
"Right." He took his arm off of his shoulder.  
  
"Well, I think I've tortured you enough for one night," Jed said. "You may all go to your rooms."  
  
"Thank you, sir," they said in unison.  
  
***TWO DAYS LATER***  
  
"Ready for that fun journey back home," Sam said, trying to sound upbeat.  
  
"Can't wait," CJ said flatly.  
  
Josh looked at his watch. "Has the President left already?"  
  
"Yeah, he left forty minutes ago. Where were you?" CJ asked.  
  
Josh shrugged.  
  
"Let's just go," CJ said as they picked up their bags and headed for the door.  
  
Once outside, they nearly dropped their luggage.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me," Toby said.  
  
"Looks like we are going to have a long drive ahead of us," Sam said with amusement.  
  
"Shut up!" The others yelled as they trekked their way to Sam's car, which was buried in six inches of snow.  
  
"This is going to be a long, long, long day," Toby said as he started to open the back door.  
  
"Toby, I wouldn't--"  
  
"Sam, I know how to open a door." He opened the door, and as he did, snow from the top of the car fell on top of his head.  
  
CJ, Josh, and Sam couldn't help but to start laughing.  
  
Toby sighed and got into the car, making sure to give everyone else a glare.  
  
"Well, like you said, Toby, it's going to be a long car ride," CJ said with a small giggle.  
  
They cleaned off the car and slowly drove out of the parking lot and onto the open road, back to Washington, DC.  
  
THE END 


End file.
